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Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Following Donald Trump Model Of Withholding Financial Records

Posted September 19, 2016

With just 50 days left until Election Day, Donald Trump is yet to release his tax returns to the public. Not only does Trump have a problem with being forthcoming with his own personal records, he has a penchant for surrounding himself with people like Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke who refuse to be transparent with the public.

According to the report, in 2015, private groups or individuals paid $51,840 in airfare for the Milwaukee County Sheriff Clarke to fly to 25 events, meetings or speaking engagements - including a $40,000 trip to Israel and Russia paid for primarily by the National Rifle Association. Other items gifted to the Sheriff include a $1,159 firearm, a $350 black powder muzzleloader, and tickets to sporting events. In the interest of transparency to the public, Milwaukee County officials are supposed to report anything of value they receive.

State Department of Revenue officials say they have no record of Clarke's 2015 state income taxes leaving it unclear if the Sheriff has reported the gifts and value of his travel on his income taxes.

"Sheriff Clarke must see Donald Trump as a role model since he's not just copying his dangerous rhetoric, but also mimicking the Republican nominee's unwillingness to disclose crucial financial records," Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Brandon Weathersby said on Monday. "Unless Sheriff Clarke can prove otherwise, it seems he is using his elected position to reap huge gifts from private groups while also claiming to be a public official - that's not how the system is supposed to work. Clarke needs to disclose his full financial history immediately to show he is working for the people of Milwaukee County and not right-wing special interests."